The Likely Lads (film)
Encyclopedia
The Likely Lads is a 1976
British comedy film
directed by Michael Tuchner
, starring James Bolam
and Rodney Bewes
. It's a spin-off from the popular 1960s British television series The Likely Lads
, from which it takes its title, though in fact it's closer in tone to the more recent sequel series Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
The screenplay is by the scriptwriters of the television show, Dick Clement
and Ian La Frenais
; and the principal roles of Bob and Terry, as well as those of Bob's wife Thelma and Terry's sister Audrey, are played by the original television cast.
Air raid
. After the opening titles the film cuts to Bob
and Terry, both aged about thirty, playing football with some eleven-year-old children.
The main plot begins with Bob and Terry's favourite watering hole, The Fat Ox, being demolished. The middle class Bob feels great sentimentality for this loss, whereas the working class Terry, who is now living in a high rise council flat, is more optimistic about the city's redevelopment, pointing out that he now has a "modern kitchen, a lovely view and an inside lavatory". From this establishing sequence the plot unfolds: Terry receives his final divorce decree, freeing him from his wife in West Germany
, and is looking forward to a bright future; Bob on the other hand is growing tired of his married life with Thelma, and jaded with his social activities (ironically, the two things he had boasted about in the television series).
Terry begins a love affair with Christina (or 'Chris' as she's known), a Finnish
beauty, of which Bob is openly envious. Thelma sees this as an opportunity to get Terry married and settled down, thus removing the perceived threat to her marriage to Bob which Terry, as Bob's life-long best friend, represents. In her pursuit of this, Thelma insists on the four of them going away on a caravanning holiday in Northumberland
; but while Thelma and Chris enjoy the trip, Bob and Terry do not. They hitch up the caravan, with the girls asleep in it, and set off to drive home. However, while they're stationary at some
e traffic lights, Thelma and Chris get out, and Bob drives away before they can get back in, stranding them. Not realising they're now alone, Bob and Terry nevertheless pick up Sandra and Glenys, two attractive young female hitch-hikers, before Thelma and Chris catch up with them again.
As a result of the trip, Terry and Chris split up, and Bob and Thelma separate. Bob decides to stay temporarily at Terry's new flat; but Terry (who is not expecting him) is busy seducing Iris, a colleague of Chris', and Bob unwittingly walks in on their lovemaking. Due to a misunderstanding, both Bob and Thelma believe the other is having sexual relations elsewhere, and have a furious argument in the back of Terry's van. Unbeknownst to them, the van's public address system is still switched on, broadcasting their argument across the neighbourhood. Terry loses his job because of this incident.
Bob and Terry drive up to Whitley Bay
for a weekend break, and take a room in a Bed and Breakfast
. Bob promptly seduces the landlady's daughter, and Terry seduces the landlady. But after hearing noises from her daughter's bedroom the landlady walks in, and Bob has to make a quick getaway through the bedroom window. The same then happens to Terry, with the daughter walking in on him in bed with her mother; and this time it's Terry who makes a rapid and trouserless departure through the bedroom window. But when the landlady goes down to the front door to let Terry back in, Bob appears instead, without his trousers, causing her to cry rape
. The Lads make a hasty - and trouserless - departure in Bob's car; but they walk back into Terry's flat to find Thelma and Terry's sister Audrey there, with neither Bob nor Terry able to explain the absence of their trousers!
Taking Audrey's advice, Terry makes plans to emigrate. He signs on as a deckhand aboard a ship leaving Newcastle
docks, and the two Lads spend his last night in England drinking on board the ship. Terry, however, finally decides not to go. He disembarks; but Bob - heavily intoxicated - falls asleep on board, and awakes to discover the ship has sailed. The last scene in the film has Terry explaining to Thelma that they'll realise Bob is aboard by accident, and drop him off at the first port of call - Bahrain
.
Throughout the film Bob's car,the recently introduced Vauxhall Chevette
suffers as much indignity as the human characters, having the wheels stolen, crashed across the carriageway to Terry's horror, an accident with the caravan and while escaping trouserless from the guest house, Terry insists Bob breaks the window to get in, only for Terry to discover his door wasn't locked, and suggest that Bob should be more careful.
film guide, and also received good reviews in What's on TV
.
Terry's flat was at Taunton Close Willington Square Wallsend. Terry's works depot was filmed at the former George Angus site on the Coast Road Wallsend, it has since been demolished and B&Q now occupy the site
1976 in film
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...
British comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Michael Tuchner
Michael Tuchner
Michael Tuchner is a British film and theatre director.He directed the BAFTA TV Award winning television play Bar Mitzvah Boy.-External links:...
, starring James Bolam
James Bolam
James Christopher Bolam, MBE is a British actor, best known for his roles as Jack Ford in When the Boat Comes In, Trevor Chaplin in The Beiderbecke Trilogy, Terry Collier in The Likely Lads and its sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Roy Figgis in Only When I Laugh, Dr Arthur Gilder in...
and Rodney Bewes
Rodney Bewes
Rodney Bewes is an English television actor and writer who is best known for playing Bob Ferris in the BBC television sitcom The Likely Lads and its colour sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? , and in the various radio series based on them , and in the big screen film The Likely Lads...
. It's a spin-off from the popular 1960s British television series The Likely Lads
The Likely Lads
The Likely Lads was a black-and-white British sitcom created and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and produced by Dick Clement. Twenty episodes were broadcast by the BBC, in three series, between 16 December 1964 and 23 July 1966...
, from which it takes its title, though in fact it's closer in tone to the more recent sequel series Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? is a 1970s British sitcom broadcast between 9 January 1973 and 9 April 1974 on BBC1. It is the colour sequel to the mid-1960s hit The Likely Lads. It was created and written, as was its predecessor, by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais...
The screenplay is by the scriptwriters of the television show, Dick Clement
Dick Clement
Dick Clement, OBE is an English writer.Born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, Clement was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and is best known for his writing partnership with Ian La Frenais. Generally, Clement and La Frenais write comedies, or dramas with a comic tone...
and Ian La Frenais
Ian La Frenais
Ian La Frenais, OBE, , is an English writer best known for his creative partnership with Dick Clement. They are most famous for television series including, The Likely Lads, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Porridge, Lovejoy and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.They have also written various other work...
; and the principal roles of Bob and Terry, as well as those of Bob's wife Thelma and Terry's sister Audrey, are played by the original television cast.
Plot
An opening pre-credits sequence shows the conception of both Lads during a World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Air raid
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
. After the opening titles the film cuts to Bob
Bob Ferris
Robert Eugene Ferris is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The 6'6", 225 lb. right-hander was drafted by the California Angels in the 2nd round of the 1976 amateur draft, and he played for the Angels in 1979 and 1980.Ferris was called up to the Angels after a 14-7 season with the Salt...
and Terry, both aged about thirty, playing football with some eleven-year-old children.
The main plot begins with Bob and Terry's favourite watering hole, The Fat Ox, being demolished. The middle class Bob feels great sentimentality for this loss, whereas the working class Terry, who is now living in a high rise council flat, is more optimistic about the city's redevelopment, pointing out that he now has a "modern kitchen, a lovely view and an inside lavatory". From this establishing sequence the plot unfolds: Terry receives his final divorce decree, freeing him from his wife in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, and is looking forward to a bright future; Bob on the other hand is growing tired of his married life with Thelma, and jaded with his social activities (ironically, the two things he had boasted about in the television series).
Terry begins a love affair with Christina (or 'Chris' as she's known), a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
beauty, of which Bob is openly envious. Thelma sees this as an opportunity to get Terry married and settled down, thus removing the perceived threat to her marriage to Bob which Terry, as Bob's life-long best friend, represents. In her pursuit of this, Thelma insists on the four of them going away on a caravanning holiday in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
; but while Thelma and Chris enjoy the trip, Bob and Terry do not. They hitch up the caravan, with the girls asleep in it, and set off to drive home. However, while they're stationary at some
e traffic lights, Thelma and Chris get out, and Bob drives away before they can get back in, stranding them. Not realising they're now alone, Bob and Terry nevertheless pick up Sandra and Glenys, two attractive young female hitch-hikers, before Thelma and Chris catch up with them again.
As a result of the trip, Terry and Chris split up, and Bob and Thelma separate. Bob decides to stay temporarily at Terry's new flat; but Terry (who is not expecting him) is busy seducing Iris, a colleague of Chris', and Bob unwittingly walks in on their lovemaking. Due to a misunderstanding, both Bob and Thelma believe the other is having sexual relations elsewhere, and have a furious argument in the back of Terry's van. Unbeknownst to them, the van's public address system is still switched on, broadcasting their argument across the neighbourhood. Terry loses his job because of this incident.
Bob and Terry drive up to Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the North Sea coast and has a fine stretch of golden sandy beach forming a bay stretching from St. Mary's Island in the north to Cullercoats in the south...
for a weekend break, and take a room in a Bed and Breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
. Bob promptly seduces the landlady's daughter, and Terry seduces the landlady. But after hearing noises from her daughter's bedroom the landlady walks in, and Bob has to make a quick getaway through the bedroom window. The same then happens to Terry, with the daughter walking in on him in bed with her mother; and this time it's Terry who makes a rapid and trouserless departure through the bedroom window. But when the landlady goes down to the front door to let Terry back in, Bob appears instead, without his trousers, causing her to cry rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
. The Lads make a hasty - and trouserless - departure in Bob's car; but they walk back into Terry's flat to find Thelma and Terry's sister Audrey there, with neither Bob nor Terry able to explain the absence of their trousers!
Taking Audrey's advice, Terry makes plans to emigrate. He signs on as a deckhand aboard a ship leaving Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
docks, and the two Lads spend his last night in England drinking on board the ship. Terry, however, finally decides not to go. He disembarks; but Bob - heavily intoxicated - falls asleep on board, and awakes to discover the ship has sailed. The last scene in the film has Terry explaining to Thelma that they'll realise Bob is aboard by accident, and drop him off at the first port of call - Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
.
Throughout the film Bob's car,the recently introduced Vauxhall Chevette
Vauxhall Chevette
The Chevette was a supermini model of car manufactured by Vauxhall in the UK from 1975 to 1984. It was Vauxhall's version of the family of small "T-Cars" from Vauxhall's parent General Motors ; the family included the Opel Kadett in Germany, the Isuzu Gemini in Japan, the Holden Gemini in...
suffers as much indignity as the human characters, having the wheels stolen, crashed across the carriageway to Terry's horror, an accident with the caravan and while escaping trouserless from the guest house, Terry insists Bob breaks the window to get in, only for Terry to discover his door wasn't locked, and suggest that Bob should be more careful.
Cast
- Rodney BewesRodney BewesRodney Bewes is an English television actor and writer who is best known for playing Bob Ferris in the BBC television sitcom The Likely Lads and its colour sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? , and in the various radio series based on them , and in the big screen film The Likely Lads...
as Bob Ferris - James BolamJames BolamJames Christopher Bolam, MBE is a British actor, best known for his roles as Jack Ford in When the Boat Comes In, Trevor Chaplin in The Beiderbecke Trilogy, Terry Collier in The Likely Lads and its sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Roy Figgis in Only When I Laugh, Dr Arthur Gilder in...
as Terry Collier - Brigit ForsythBrigit ForsythBrigit Forsyth is a British actress, who is best known for her roles as Thelma Ferris in the BBC comedy Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and Helen Yeldham in the hit ITV drama/modern-day western Boon....
as Thelma Ferris - Mary TammMary TammMary Tamm is an English actress. She is best known for being the first actress to play the character of Romana in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, opposite Tom Baker as the Doctor, from the 1978–1979 season known collectively as The Key to Time.-Early life:Mary Tamm was born in...
as Christina - Sheila FearnSheila FearnSheila Fearn is a British actress best known for playing Audrey, the sister of Terry Collier in BBC situation comedies The Likely Lads and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, and also later on as Ann Fourmile, the next door neighbour in the Thames Television sitcom George and Mildred.On film...
as Audrey Collier - Zena WalkerZena WalkerZena Walker was an English actress in film, theatre, and television.Walker was born in Birmingham, the daughter of George Walker, a grocer, and his wife Elizabeth Louise . She attended St. Martin's School in 1960 and then went on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She starred in an...
as Laura - Anulka DziubinskaAnulka DziubinskaDziubinska worked as a dental nurse in Preston, but found the routine too restrictive. In 1970, she was a finalist in the Miss United Kingdom beauty contest...
as Dawn - Alun ArmstrongAlun Armstrong (actor)Alun Armstrong is a prolific British character actor. Armstrong grew up in County Durham in North East England. He first became interested in acting through Shakespeare productions at his grammar school. Since his career began in the early 1970s, he has played, in his words, "the full spectrum of...
as Milkman - Judy BuxtonJudy BuxtonJudy Buxton , is an English actress.She graduated from the Rose Bruford College. She then was a regular in the television series General Hospital playing nurse Katy Shaw. She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1979, where she played principal roles until 1982...
as Iris - Vicki MichelleVicki MichelleVicki Michelle MBE , is an English actress best known for her role as Yvette Carte-Blanche in the television comedy series Allo 'Allo! - a role which she has reprised in both 2008 and 2009 as a cast of the stage show based on the television series.After spending much of 2008 on tour with the Allo...
as Glenys - Penny IrvingPenny IrvingPenny Irving is a former actress and Sun newspaper Page 3 model. She is best remembered for her roles in the 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served? and in the movie adaptation of The Likely Lads .Penny also starred in the cult director Pete...
as Sandy - Michelle NewellMichelle NewellMichelle Newell is a British actress probably best known for her role in the BBC mini-series The Cleopatras and as Gill Gregory in Coronation Street...
as Alice - Susan Tracy as Edith
- Gordon Griffin as Cyril
- Edward WilsonEdward Wilson (actor)Edward "Ed" Wilson was an English television actor, best known as the enthusiastic and charismatic Artistic Director of the British National Youth Theatre from 1987–2003; he later moved to Los Angeles...
as Les - Roger AvonRoger AvonRoger Avon was a British film and television actor.Some of his television appearances include Hancock's Half Hour, Dad's Army, When the Boat Comes In, Department S, Doctor Who, serials , Randall and Hopkirk , Our Friends in the North and Blackadder the Third...
as Joe the Landlord - Ronald LaceyRonald LaceyRonald Lacey was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30 year period and is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles in Hollywood films, most famously Major Arnold Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and...
as Ernie - Elizabeth Lax as Bob's Secretary
- Linda RobsonLinda RobsonLinda Patricia Mary Robson is an English actress. She played Tracey in the BBC comedy, Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998.-Personal life and education:...
as Marsha - Ian McDiarmidIan McDiarmidIan McDiarmid is a Scottish theatre actor and director, who has also made sporadic appearances on film and television.McDiarmid has had a successful career in theatre; he has been cast in many plays, while occasionally directing others and although he has appeared mostly in theatrical productions,...
as Vicar - Eric MasonEric MasonEric Mason is a British actor. His television credits include: Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, Doctor Who, Bergerac, Sea of Souls, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Minder in episode Come in T-64, Your Time Is Ticking Away and The Bill....
as Truck Driver
Locations
The film was made at EMI's Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire and on location on Tyneside, in and around Newcastle and Whitley Bay. Locations used include the Spanish City funfair at Whitley Bay, the Beehive public house, the coast road flats, and Tynemouth pier.- Terry's fictional employer "Extralight" washing powder, was filmed at GreggsGreggsGreggs plc is the largest specialist retail bakery chain in the United Kingdom. It was established in the 1930s as a single shop but has approximately 1,500 outlets....
Christon Road Dept, GosforthGosforthGosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620... - Terry's highrise flat - HowdonHowdonHowdon is a place in Tyne and Wear, England.Howdon is an area in the eastern part of Wallsend, a former coal-mining and shipbuilding town on the north banks of the River Tyne....
, WallsendWallsendWallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
(The flats used were demolished in the 1990s) - The church where Thelma and Chris are abandoned - CorbridgeCorbridgeCorbridge is a village in Northumberland, England, situated west of Newcastle and east of Hexham. Villages in the vicinity include Halton, Acomb, Aydon and Sandhoe.-Roman fort and town:...
, NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region... - The caravan trip takes place across Tyne BridgeTyne BridgeThe Tyne Bridge is a through arch bridge over the River Tyne in North East England, linking Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead. It was designed by the engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson, who later designed the Forth Road Bridge, and was built by Dorman Long and Co. of Middlesbrough. At the time...
and through RothburyRothburyRothbury is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is located on the River Coquet, northwest of Morpeth and north-northwest of Newcastle upon Tyne...
, NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region... - The caravan site and 'The Beehive' pub - EarsdonEarsdonEarsdon is a historical village in the borough of North Tyneside in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. It sits on the border of Northumberland to which is was historically part of, and is approximately two miles from Whitley Bay....
, near Whitley BayWhitley BayWhitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the North Sea coast and has a fine stretch of golden sandy beach forming a bay stretching from St. Mary's Island in the north to Cullercoats in the south... - Bob gets some flowers trapped in the bus after Terry does a "voice of above" on him at the Grainger Market (The area is now heavily pedestrianised since it was filmed)
- The coast - Whitley BayWhitley BayWhitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the North Sea coast and has a fine stretch of golden sandy beach forming a bay stretching from St. Mary's Island in the north to Cullercoats in the south...
Critical reception
Like many film adaptations of British television shows of the 1970s, the film was poorly received at the time by the critics. However, in 2004 it received five stars in the Radio TimesRadio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
film guide, and also received good reviews in What's on TV
What's On TV
What's on TV is a weekly television listings magazine published by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.-Overview:What's on TV is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and competitions...
.
Terry's flat was at Taunton Close Willington Square Wallsend. Terry's works depot was filmed at the former George Angus site on the Coast Road Wallsend, it has since been demolished and B&Q now occupy the site